Then & Now by Kimberly Lowe

If you were mine I would be protective as well.”
    Swallowing a large gulp of wine, she brought her eyes straight up to his.  The look on his face stated quite bluntly that his attention was just that.  To make her his.  Her hands quivered around the cold goblet, causing the wine to vibrate giving her away.  “Why did it take you so long to ask me out?  You work with many unrealistically beautiful women.  Why the mouse?”
    “Don’t call yourself that.”  He scolded as he set his glass aside.  “In the short time I’ve spent with you tonight, you’ve established that you might come across as a mouse, though you are anything but.”  Removing the glass from her still trembling hands he set it next to his.  “Besides you answered your own question.  The women we work with are unrealistic.  I’m not impressed with unrealistic.”   
    “What are you impressed with?”  She exhaled while she forced herself to remain still as he leaned closer to her.  Every inch of her wanted to through her arms around him and finally find out what he tasted like.
    Brining his lips dangerously close to hers, he whispered across her bottom lip.  “I think you know.”
    That did it.  She couldn’t control herself any longer.  Practically lunching herself forward, she took his mouth with zeal.  She really didn’t know what shocked her more; her own candor or his. 
    He took her with as much passion as she took him.  With one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, and a hand nestled at the base of her neck she knew he wanted this as badly as she did.    
    Exhilarated by it she rubbed her tongue against his.  The taste of him brought out a primitive side that she didn’t know that she possessed.  She took his lip between her teeth, lightly nibbling and teasing him playfully.  He let out a deep throated moan that had her realizing that she was affecting him erotically.  The realization spread a wicked smile across her face. 
    Wanting to explore this more, she lightly licked his bottom lip.  He jumped, but didn’t move away.  The only thing consuming her thoughts was Bryant’s incredible mouth.  She drove her hands into his jet-black hair, just like she had always wanted to do.  Allowing the soft strands to caress her fingers, she sank them deeper. This was all she ever wanted, virtually needed .
    Breaking away abruptly h e asked breathless. “Wow! Where did you learn to kiss like that?” 
    Smiling she sighed, “I don’t know.  I have never kissed anyone like that before.”
    “Ditto.”   He smiled back.  Snuggling her closer, he chuckled softly. “I have never been more fascinated with anyone, than I have been with you.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes, really.  I’ve watched you around the office.”  He cocked one of his eyebrows, and she felt a sudden prick of fear.
    She had known that he had seen her on a few occasions.  A little wink or smile in her direction to allow her the acknowledgement.  “Oh?” She asked on a shaky breath.
    He nodded, as he stood straighter, bringing him a head taller than her.  “I kept waiting for you to approach me.  But you never did.  In fact the few times I thought that maybe I should come to you, you would get this panicked look on your face and take off.”  He sighed and shook his head.  “You know you can give a guy a complex that way.”
    She had to laugh at that.  Giving a man like Bryant Sharp a complex wasn’t in her power.  “Oh, I can?”
    “Yeah, you can.” He said on a mock sincerity.  “But, honestly I can’t do this.”
    Putting substantial space between them, his smile turned more polite than sexual.
    Oh, no. No. No. No!  How did this go bad?  She just knew she would flub this up.  Trying to hide the sudden moister in her eyes she cleared her throat and banished the thought of rejection.  Maybe she just came on too strong.  “Alright.” 
    A strange expression crossed over his face as he studied her.  “What’s